Rockport's Back Beach pump station malfunctions

Dec 26, 2023

Rockport Public Works brought in pump trucks to handle the waste flow at the Back Beach Pump Station while the power was impacted on Saturday.

ROCKPORT — For at least the second time this year, a malfunction at one of the town’s sewer pump stations caused the leaking of sewage.

Town Administrator Mitchell Vieira stressed the sewage did not escape the pump station.

“There was no discharge into the harbor,” he said. “No sewage left the pump station.”

The latest leak was discovered at the Back Beach Pump Station on Saturday, Aug. 5, at approximately 6:30 a.m. during a routine daily check, according to Public Works Director Gary LeBlanc.

“A wastewater employee discovered that there was flooding within the pump station,” said LeBlanc. “One of the transformers providing power was likely compromised by a lightning strike from the storm the night before.”

This comes after a malfunction and fire at the Dock Square Pump Station in January resulted in approximately 700,000 gallons of sewage being released into Rockport Harbor.

LeBlanc said immediately after discovering the flooding at the Back Beach station, Public Works staff activated its response process which included bringing in pump trucks to handle the waste flow while the power was impacted.

“The pump trucks handled waste flow coming into the station and there was no impact to anyone and there was no discharge at any point in time,” he said. “During the internal flooding, the generator room was flooded so a portable trailered generator was brought to the site and connected.”

According to LeBlanc, the trailer generator remains in place until a permanent replacement generator can be purchased. In addition, he said there was no impact to the pumps which activated as soon as the power was restored.

“The cleanup in the pump station was completed at approximately 5 p.m. and crews cleared the site shortly after,” LeBlanc said. “The town is working with its insurer on the matter.”

After the January sewage overflow, town officials estimated the cost of repairs to the Dock Square pump station total about $200,000.

In the fiscal year 2024 state budget awaiting Gov. Maura Healey’s signature is an earmark awarding Rockport $95,000 for the purchase of pump station equipment for the Dock Square station and $75,000 for the modernization of the Dock Square sewer pump.

Vieira said the appropriation comes at the right time.

“This will assist the town in replacing aging equipment and modernizing the systems at the pump station which functions as the main pump station moving wastewater from the entire town to the treatment facility,” said Vieira. “This important funding addresses a portion of the modernization and upgrade work needed.

Vieira said Public Works continues consultation with the engineering firm Weston & Sampson to develop a plan to upgrade and modernize the Dock Square pump station.

“Once there are preliminary plans, we’ll have a better idea of the cost and how the town would seek to pay for it,” he said.

Stephen Hagan can be reached at 978-675-2708 or at [email protected].

"There was no discharge into the harbor." —Town Administrator Mitchell Vieira

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